The PS5 hasn’t been out for very long yet, but there are still a few games that should be in your collection if you like to play online with or without friends. Here are our picks for the best online PS5 games to play in 2021. Every game listed below is either an exclusive or has been enhanced to run better on PS5.
Genshin Impact
Best Online PS5 Games
Genshin Impact is one of the most popular games out right now, and it just recently got a PS5 upgrade that improves load times, raises the frame rate, provides a better overall experience than what the PS4 provides.
It’s a free-to-play open-world action RPG that can be played in co-op by up to four players. Usually, players control a team of four when playing solo offline, but in co-op each player chooses one character. This means that team composition is important, especially since each character controls one of six elements that react together in different ways. Factoring in which players are healers, tanks, DPS specialists, etc. adds even more depth.
Developer miHoYo still regularly updates the game, adding new playable characters, events, and story content. So it’s never a bad time to hop in and form a team with other players as you explore the world.
It Takes Two
Best Online PS5 Games
It Takes Two clearly had split-screen couch co-op in mind for the gameplay, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be played online as well. It provides one of the best cooperative experiences of the year so far through platforming, puzzle-solving, and combat that’s all achieved through teamwork.
As the name suggests, you won’t even be able to play this solo offline, so having a friend to complete levels with is a must. There’s no online matchmaking either, but you can pair up with anyone on your friends list.
The game has players assume the roles of May and Cody, two parents that need to come together and rekindle their relationship for the sake of their daughter, Rose. And it should be noted that only one player needs to own the game for two people to play, even online, thanks to the Friend’s Pass feature.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Best Online PS5 Games
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is another 3D platformer on PS5 that can be played by fans of online games. Up to four players can take control of Sackboy and the gang for some co-op fun in Craftworld. It can be played solo, but this game was really created with multiplayer in mind.
There are a total of seven different worlds containing 90 levels in all, and some of them can only be completed with multiple players. There are also a few ways to get creative while platforming by using Sackboy’s dive, spin, flutter, and slap while jumping to cover more distance and pull off combos in mid-air.
The PS5 version of the game offers faster load times, a better audio experience, and even haptic feedback to simulate the materials that players run on while playing.
Nioh 2
Best Online PS5 Games
Shifting gears drastically, we have Nioh 2. This is a JRPG set in a mystical version of Japan full of Yokai and magic. It can be played all the way through in co-op with up to three players. And you’ll absolutely want to team up in this one since it can be pretty tough overall. Though, the game does function just a bit differently with more players playing at once.
When playing in co-op, players can revive each other mid-battle, which is impossible to do when solo. The catch here is that players also share a sort of revive meter on top of having individual health bars. The shared bar depletes every time someone goes down. If it depletes fully, you’ll all have to restart the entire level, so Nioh 2 really forces you to take the positives with the negatives when playing online.
Players who own the PS4 version can transfer their save data and upgrade to the PS5’s remastered edition, which runs Nioh 2 at up to 4K resolution and 120fps if you have the monitors to support this.
Destiny 2
Best Online PS5 Games
Destiny 2 has been out for a while now, and it seems like it’ll be here for the foreseeable future. It’s still being updated regularly and even has a PS5 upgrade to make the game run even better on console.
It offers plenty of online gaming options with three-player co-op, four-player PvP, and six-player raids for you and your friends to tackle together. If you’re looking for a looter-shooter that offers plenty of co-op activities well beyond the end of the main story, along with decent customization when it comes to gear, this is the right choice for you. It’s also a completely free-to-play experience now.
Warframe
Best Online PS5 Games
Much like Destiny 2, Warframe is another free-to-play RPG shooter that can be played online with friends. It can be played in co-op by up to four players as you all explore up to 14 different planets. If you’re looking for even more customization when it comes to loadouts, weapons, and abilities, this is a game you shouldn’t pass up.
You can choose from over 40 customizable Warframes and dive into the Origin System as a member of the newly-awoken Tenno race. And if you used to play the game back in the early 2010s when it came out, this is the perfect time to hop back in because all of the new content and updates make it feel like a completely different game.
Rainbow Six Siege
Best Online PS5 Games
Rainbow Six Siege has been around almost as long as Warframe, and it also got a PS5 upgrade. Players who already own the PS4 version can get their hands on the PS5 version at no extra cost.
Siege is all about 5v5 tactical FPS action. It’s another game that still gets updated to this day with new maps, Operators, and events. It may take a bit to get used to everything going on in matches, but it’s a great online shooter that shouldn’t be missed out on if you enjoy the genre.
However, it should be noted that Siege really does take a little while to get used to if you’re really trying to learn the ins and outs of each Operator’s role in various situations across 20 different maps. It’s best to go into the game with at least a few friends so that you’re all able to cover for each other as you learn how to play.
No Man’s Sky
Best Online PS5 Games
No Man’s Sky has made serious strides in the last few years, and its PS5 version is up there with online games that should be played by those who enjoy freedom and exploration. It’s a multiplayer survival game that allows you to venture throughout the seemingly infinite procedurally generated galaxy with friends as you build colonies, trade, and even dogfight or race in spaceships.
What’s really impressive is the freedom to choose how you survive. Harvest alien resources to build what you want from scratch, do battle with space pirates to take what they own, or simply explore with no real goal in mind. It’s all up to you.
The game’s 3.10 update graphical enhancements and smoother gameplay to current-gen consoles. The upgrade is free for anyone who already owns No Man’s Sky on PS4, so be sure to take advantage of it if you do.
Dead By Daylight
Best Online PS5 Games
Dead By Daylight also offers a free PS5 upgrade for current owners of the game. Its unique 1v4 multiplayer pits survivors against a killer in horror scenarios on various maps. There are 27 survivors and 24 killers (this includes DLC) to choose from, and many come from crossovers with franchises like Stranger Things, Silent Hill, Halloween, and more.
The survivors have to work together to outwit and evade the killer as they find ways to escape the various horror-themed procedurally generated maps. Each killer and survivor has certain skills and progression systems that allow for a bit of personalized strategy when going into matches.
Things tend to go smoother through cooperation, though, you can also be selfish as a survivor and use other victims as bait in order for you to escape.
Final Fantasy XIV
Best Online PS5 Games
Final Fantasy XIV has undergone more than a few changes and updates since its release, and that progress is still continuing to this day. In fact, the MMO’s official service for the PS5 version just started near the end of May, so this is the right time to jump in on console if you haven’t already.
You’ll be able to choose from six races and eight initial basic jobs and play up to level 35 for free when you start out. As you learn the ropes, you’ll become more comfortable with your role (DPS, healer, tank) when working in a team. Diving into an MMO can seem overwhelming at first, so PlayStation even has a beginner’s guide up on their site just in case you need more info before getting started.
The PS5 version is a free upgrade for owners of the PS4 version, and it adds haptic feedback in the DualSense controllers, frame rate improvements, new trophies, and more.
Borderlands 3
Best Online PS5 Games
Borderlands is one of the most over-the-top looter shooter franchises out there, and you can now dive into the world with up to four players in co-op action in a PS5 version for the latest entry in the series. The entire campaign and all of the DLC can be played online with friends or using random matchmaking.
There are four Vault Hunter classes to choose from, each with four highly customizable skill trees that can all cause chaos in plenty of unique ways. Even if two friends pick the same class, skill setups can be completely different. And that’s even before finding tons of loot to personalize loadouts with guns, grenades, shields, mods, and more.
Borderlands 3 is another game that offers a free upgrade for owners of the PS4 version. It comes with the standard visual and performance upgrades, while also adding haptic feedback in the triggers as a cool bonus.
Wreckfest
Best Online PS5 Games
Wreckfest was actually a PS Plus game in May, so hopefully, you didn’t miss out on it while it was available as part of the service. If you missed your chance, it’s a $9.99 upgrade for owners of the PS4 version.
If you’re a fan of chaotic racing games in the same vein as FlatOut, this is one to check out, as there are pretty much no rules at all in these extremely aggressive races. To protect your car, Wreckfest allows you to upgrade and customize it with things like roll cages, body armor, reinforced bumpers, and more. There’s even the option to go for a speed build with far less protection — the choice is all up to you.
The PS5 upgrade adds new graphical effects. These include dynamic mud and dirt that interact with the cars differently, new lighting effects, better shadows, and other improvements.
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